#netgalleyUK

[gadgetgirl71]

July 2021 Round Up

Well I haven’t managed to write any book reviews but I have managed to read 13 books during July. Which has helped me to complete my GoodReads 2021 Reading Challenge. Which I really pleased about as for the last couple of years I have struggled to complete it. You can find my GoodReads Challenge Here.

July Reviews:

Non This Month.

Books Read This Month:

No More Secrets (Carter Island Trilogy #3) by Cate Beauman

Wicked Idol (Hellfire Club #1) by Becker Gray

Re-read House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J Maas

Bastard and Whisky (Top Shelf #1) by Alta Hensley

Seal of Protection Box Set 1 by Susan Stoker

Securing Caite (Seal of Protection Legacy #1) by Susan Stoker

Securing Sidney (Seal of Protection Legacy #2) by Susan Stoker

Securing Piper (Seal of Protection Legacy #3) by Susan Stoker

Securing Zoe (Seal of Protection Legacy #4) by Susan Stoker

Securing Avery (Seal of Protection Legacy #5) by Susan Stoker

Securing Kalee (Seal of Protection Legacy #6) by Susan Stoker

Trusting Molly Silverstone #3 by Susan Stoker

The Girl at the End of the World by Richard Levesque

Recently Acquired Books This Month:

Pre-Ordered Books:

The Magic of Found Objects by Maddie Dawson

Trusting Cassidy Sliverstone #4 by Susan Stoker

House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J Maas

Amazon First Read:

For the Love of Friends by Sara Goodman Confino

Amazon Purchases:

Securing Zoe (Seal of Protection Legacy #4) by Susan Stoker

Securing Avery (Seal of Protection Legacy #5) by Susan Stoker

Securing Kalee (Seal of Protection Legacy #6) by Susan Stoker

Striker (No prisoners MC #1) by Lilly Atlas

Hardback Purchases:

Non this month

NetGalley:

The Spanish House by Cherry Radford

BookBub Free Books:

For a list of all the FREE books Via BookBub please go to Books Acquired Via BookBub July 2021 Post.

July’s Favourite BookBub Cover

Night of the Wolf Moon by Kimberly Loth & Nina Walker

I’m not sure what it is about this book cover but it just makes me want to read the book.

July’s Favourite NetGalley Cover

The Spanish House by Cherry Radford

I know that I only had one NetGalley book this month but it is a nice bright colour, that makes you think of warm hot summer days.

#arc #bookblogger #bookbub #bookreviews #books #bookshelf #edelweiss #goodreads #juily2021 #julyroundup #NetGalley #netgalleyUK #ngew2021 #reading challenge #waterstones

[serenityyou]

ad-gifted - Over on my blog, today is my #bookreview of @athena_choice by Adam Boostrom.⁠ ⁠ Have you read this book before? ⁠ ⁠ I listened to this on #audiobook and received a copy from @netgalley ⁠ #netgalley #netgalleyuk #books #athenaschoice #bookstagram #booksandtea #teaandbooks #teaandbooklover #booksandflowers #pinkflowers #adamboostrom #booksandmore #onmybookshelf #booksofinatagram #instabook #kindle #booklover #booknerd #booksaremylife #bookblogger (at Matlock, Derbyshire) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLJxc_LlQAK/?igshid=1ot8jxjwsg0wl

#bookreview #audiobook #netgalley #netgalleyuk #books #athenaschoice #bookstagram #booksandtea #teaandbooks #teaandbooklover #booksandflowers #pinkflowers #adamboostrom #booksandmore #onmybookshelf #booksofinatagram #instabook #kindle #booklover #booknerd #booksaremylife #bookblogger

[bookpolarreviews]

Reviewing reviewing reviewing . .. ... .. . #netgalley @netgalley @netgalleyuk #booknerd #books #lovebooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookhaul #bookhoarder #bookpolarreview #newbooks #readingtime #justkeepreading #lovebooks #lovetoread #beautifulbooks #bookhoarder #bookish #bookreview #bookblogger #bookblog #bookpolar #currentread #booksofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BwzepM5n9u2/?igshid=1eveb06ftwxve

#netgalley #booknerd #books #lovebooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookhaul #bookhoarder #bookpolarreview #newbooks #readingtime #justkeepreading #lovetoread #beautifulbooks #bookish #bookreview #bookblogger #bookblog #bookpolar #currentread #booksofinstagram

[gadgetgirl71]

May 2021 Round Up

Slowly Getting There!

Well May was very uneventful apart from taking my laptop to be mended, as you all ready know it had to have it’s operating system reinstalled. I’m still in the process of installing certain things back on to it. It’s taking far longer than I expected it would!

May Reviews:

Non this month

Books Read This Month:

Wisteria Wonders (Wisteria Witches #3) by Angela Pepper

Watchful Wisteria (Wisteria Witches #4) by Angela Pepper

Wisteria Wyverns (Wisteria Witches #5) by Angela Pepper

Recently Acquired Books This Month:

Pre-Ordered Books:

Non this month

Amazon First Read:

The Girls in the Attic by Marius Gabriel

Amazon Purchases:

Wisteria Wonders (Wisteria Witches #3) by Angela Pepper

Watchful Wisteria (Wisteria Witches #4) by Angela Pepper

Wisteria Wyverns (Wisteria Witches #5) by Angela Pepper

Jack (Kings of Mayhem MC Tennessee #1) by Penny Dee

Hardback Purchases:

Non this month

NetGalley:

A Strange and Brilliant Light by Eli Lee

BookBub Free Books:

For a list of all the FREE books Via BookBub please go to Books Acquired Via BookBub May 2021 Post.

Book Blitz Posted This Month:

Non this month

Book Blitz Cover Reveals This Month:

Non this month

May’s Favourite BookBub Cover

Relatively Normal by Whitney Dineen

I chose this book because who doesn’t like a man in a kilt?

May’s Favourite NetGalley Cover

A Strange and Brilliant Light by Eli Lee

I chose this book as I only had one book via NetGalley in May but even so it’s an interesting cover.

#May2021 #MAyRoundUp #ARC #BookBlogger #BookBub #bookreview #books #bookshelf #edelweiss #goodreads #NetGalley #netgalleyUK #ngew2021 #reading challenge #waterstones

[gadgetgirl71]

April 2021 Round Up

At Last!

Well this April wasn’t a great month. Unfortunately I had a relapse with my ME/CFS and I couldn’t do anything much, apart from reading as you will see with the amount of books I read during April.

It also meant that I wasn’t able to write up any reviews for any of the books I’ve read or am reading.

April Reviews:

Non this month.

Books Read This Month:

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent

Trusting Taylor (Silverstone #2) by Susan Stoker

Dial A For Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto

Head Over Hight Heels by Lila Monroe

Horse (Rolling Thunder MC #6) by Candace Blevins

Jesse (Bossy Brothers #1) by J A Huss

Carpool (Milford College #1) by Noelle Adams

The Wrong Kind of Love (The Boys of Jackson Harbour #1) by Lexi Ryan

Straight Up Love (The Boys of Jackson Harbour #2) by Lexi Ryan

Dirty Reckless Love (The Boys of Jackson Harbour #3) by Lexi Ryan

Deal With The Devil (Forge Trilogy #1) by Meghan March

Luck of the Devil (Forge Trilogy #2) by Meghan March

Heart of the Devil (Forge Trilogy #3) by Meghan March

Wisteria Witches (Wisteria Witches #1) by Angela Pepper

Wicked Wisteria (Wisteria Witches #2) by Angela Pepper

Recently Acquired Books This Month:

Pre-Ordered Books:

Non this month

Amazon First Read:

I Thought You Said This Would Work by Ann Garvin

Amazon Purchases:

Erotic Fiction by Hannah Lynn

The Lantern Boats by Tessa Morris-Suzuki

Imperial Woman: A Story of the Last Empress of China by Pearl S Buck

Straight Up Love (The Boys of Jackson Harbour #2) by Lexi Ryan

Dirty Reckless Love (The Boys of Jackson Harbour #3) by Lexi Ryan

Luck of the Devil (Forge Trilogy #2) by Meghan March

Heart of the Devil (Forge Trilogy #3) by Meghan March

The Separation by Dinah Jefferies

Wicked Wisteria (Wisteria Witches Mystery #2) by Angela Pepper

A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander #6) by Diana Gabaldon

Hardback Purchases:

Non this month

NetGalley:

Raising Hell by Bryony Pearce

BookBub Free Books:

For a list of all the FREE books Via BookBub please go to Books Acquired Via BookBub March 2021 Post.

Book Blitz Posted This Month:

Non this month

Book Blitz Cover Reveals This Month:

Non this month

April’s Favourite BookBub Cover

Unmasked by Melody Grace

I chose this book just because I like the mask. It’s as simple as that.

#April2021 #AprilRoundUp #ARC #BookBlogger #BookBub #BookReviews #Books #BookShelf #Edelweiss #GoodReads #NetGalley #NetGalleyUK #NGEW2021 #ReadingChallenge #Waterstones

[gadgetgirl71]

2021 Reading Challenges

2021 Reading Challenges

This year I plan on doing things a little bit differently than I did last year. I only plan on doing 2 reading challenges. As I think last year I spread myself a little bit thin especially with everything that was going on in the world. I found it hard to read at time and I found it even harder to concentrate and write my book reviews. Below are are the details for the reading challenges I’m…

View On WordPress

#2021 #2021ReadingChallenge #BookBlog #BookBlogger #Books #Edelweiss #GoodReads #NetGalley #NetGalleyuk #ReadingChallenge #ReadingChallenge2021

[gadgetgirl71]

Book Review: The Shelf by Helly Acton

If there is a book that should end up being turned into a movie then this book should be. We’ve all watched some form of reality TV shows like Big Brother. You may or may not like them, but I think this book beats them hands down! I found this book to be so funny with a few cringe worthy moments. I just couldn’t put it down. As I couldn’t wait to see what tasks the girls would be put through next and how they’d all reacted to each task, the first task they were given had some very funny parts to it. I ended up reading late into the night and gave myself a fright when I dropped my kindle on myself as I’d fallen asleep.

How would you feel if your boyfriend dumped you on National TV? Especially when you though you were going on holiday together, hoping this would be when he would pop the question. Well Amy Wright found out exactly what it was like to be dumped on National TV on a new reality TV show called “The Shelf”. Where six women would compete to be crowned “The Keeper”. Amy was the first contestant on this new reality show. Then five other women who were also dumped joined her, and they are:

Amy Wright, Age: 32, Profession: Copywriter, Status: Long term relationship, Description: Desperate

Jackie Adu, Age: 38, Profession: Solicitor, Status: Married, no kids, Description: Selfish

Gemma Burns, Age: 30, Profession: Personal Trainer, Status: Long term relationship, Description: Distant

Kathy Hegarty, Age: 52, Profession: None, Status: Married, two adult kids, Description: Bitter

Hattie Jackson, Age: 33, Profession: Chef, Status: Long term relationship, Description: Boring

Lauren Hawk, Age: 36, Profession: DJ, Status: Short term relationship, Description: Easy

Each week the contestants have task to complete along with mandatory therapy sessions that are also shown on the show. Depending how they do and along with the publics votes someone will be voted off each week. Also letting the girls know how popular or how well they are doing there is a leader board, along with a live media stream of the publics unfiltered tweets for them all to see.

A week in the show throws them all a curveball by bringing in another contestant, except this contestant isn’t like the rest of the girls. Felicity Brimble, Flick for short. She is still in a relationship, she hasn’t been dumped. She actually applied to be on the show herself as she wants to see if she can improve herself even though she’s already like a perfect 1950’s house wife. How will they all get on with the new arrival, will it be handbags at dawn?

I can’t tell you anymore about the story line as I really don’t want to spoil this book, as it’s so funny. If you like reality TV shows like Big Brother then you must read this book!

Pages: 416, Publication Date: 9 July 2020, My Rating: 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#arc #bookblogger #bookclub #bookreview #books #bookshelf #bookworm #chic lit #contemporary #edelweiss #fun #HellyActon #NetGalley #netgalleyUK #NGEW2020 #TheShelf2020 #womensfiction #womenslitrature

[gadgetgirl71]

No Regrets by Tabitha Webb

I enjoyed this book. It’s funny and light hearted. It made me snigger a good few times. With these troubled times we find ourselves in this book is a good one to read. I could also associate with all of the characters as well, as they are all getting to the end of their 30’s. It reminded me of my friends and I at that age. I absolutely love the cover of this book as well. It’s so bright and cheerful.

Meet Stella, Dixie and Ana. They have been best friends for a very long time. We meet them as they are all approaching the big four zero. Where they all realise that they aren’t really in the places they expected to be in.

Stella is a stay at home mother, She spends most of her time running around after her family. Wishing she was more like the other mum’s who seem to manage family life effortlessly.

Her husband has made her get rid of the paid help and she is struggling even more than she did before. Stella however has other ideas about getting new help, she’s actually thinking of pinching someone’s nanny. Along with hopes of going back to work and being a bit more glanderous.

One day when she’s at the park with the kids. She becomes friends with Coco a young nanny. She finds Coco a breath of fresh air and she’s also introducing Stella to some new experiences.

Ana is in a relationship with the most boring man, but on paper he is just the sort of man to settle down with. He has a decent job, he’s reliable, caring and not bad looking. Ana has decided that now is the time to start trying for a family as she’s so desperate for a baby.

Ana has also decided that she wants to speed up the process, so they pay to go and see a private specialist. Just to make sure everything is working. It turns out that Rex is the one that is going to cause them problems in conceiving. So they pay for one round of fertility treatment. Which then starts making Ana wonder if she really is with the right man. Due to her having fertility injections her hormones are all over the place. So no matter what Rex does she finds him irritating and he constantly gets her back up. Which in turn Makes her think about Joel her now famous ex boyfriend. Everywhere she goes his music is playing or he’s on the TV, she can’t get away from him and their past.

Dixie is the wild a child of the bunch. She’s single has a good job. She gets to travel with her job too, as she manages her bosses properties which are all over the place. She’s also on Tinder and has numerous one night stands and has no intentions of stopping any time soon, as she’s not going to ever get married.

On one particular flight to New York Dixie gets upgraded on her flight and ends up with her cabin near a really cute guy. She ends up getting a bit tipsy and ends up telling him things that she never tells anyone. She total forgets to update he Tinder account with new photos of herself. So she could hook up with some cute New York guys.

Dixie doesn’t tell the girls anything about Freddie the next time she meets up with them as he has her in a spin. Which has never happened to her before. It’s like she is under his spell.

When she does mention him though she ends up asking the girls over to the Hamptons to celebrate Freddie’s Birthday. Where things don’t go quite as expected.

Stella gets blind drunk and tells them what is really going on in her life. Dixie and Freddie set up Ana with her famous ex, which lead to unexpected things. Then the rich wives of Freddie’s friends pull a fast one on Dixie and everything comes tumbling down.

Will the girls get their lives back on track? They may do eventually with some great hilarity along the way.

If you need a good laugh and some escape then this book is for you.

Pages: 384, Publication Date: 25 June 2020, My Rating: 4 Stars

#arc #bookblogger #bookclub #bookreview #books #bookworm #contemporary #edelweiss #generalfiction #goodreads #NetGalley #netgalleyUK #NGEW2020 #NoRegret #reading challenge #romance #romcom #TabithaWebb #womensfiction

[gadgetgirl71]

The Cat And The City  by Nick Bradley Book Review

This is such a charming, easy to read book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s built up with lots of short stories that actually intertwine with each other. Some of the characters also appear in the other stories. The book also has some of Japan’s modern day cultures in it, like the cat cafes. To old Japanese myths. If you are finding it hard to read and concentrate, this is a book for you as it’s easy to pick up and put down without forgetting what you’ve read.

The story is based in Tokyo and it’s preparation for the opening of the 2020 Olympics. Where we meet a homeless calico cat that meets different people on it’s journey around the city. While it finds food and somewhere safe to sleep.

The cat meets some very interesting characters on it’s journey:

A young girl with piercing green eyes, who gets a huge tattoo of Tokyo on her back. The tattooist who is doing her tattoo becomes obsessed with his work. She didn’t want any people on the map, so the tattooist decided to put a cat into the map on her back. Every time before he starts to work on her tattoo he spends ages looking for the cat as it appears to be moving around.

We also meet some homeless people most of them live in a local park. They have started to notice some of their friends are disappearing. There are roomers going around that the homeless are being rounded up, but they don’t know where they take them. The city officials are trying to tidy up the city for the Olympics, so Tokyo gives a good impression to the world.

We meet some taxi drivers and the people that they come into contact with. From a British woman who has become a translator for a company that also deals with all of the literature for the Olympics.

At one point the calico cat ends up hurt, a young boy and a hermit take care of it, and nurse it back to health. The hermit and the boy build an unlikely friendship during this time. Once the cat becomes well again though it leaves the hermits home and goes back to a life on the street. This part of the book has been produced in the style of a manga comic.

There are lots of other characters that intertwine with each other and the calico cat, which has some impact on the people it comes into contact with. In some instances making things better. The story is about humanity and how all our lives can in some way intertwine with others without us even knowing about it.

Like I’ve already said this is a charming book to read. We learn what its like for different types of people living in a modern day Tokyo. It’s well worth you taking the time to read it. I can’t believe that this is a debut novel and I look forward to seeing what this author writes next.

Pages: 272, Publication Date: 4 June 2020, My Rating: 5 Stars

#arc #bookblog #bookblogger #books #bookshelf #cat #edelweiss #enjoyableread #friction #generalfiction #Japan #literary fiction #myths #NetGalley #netgalleyUK #NGEW2020 #nickbradley #short reads #thecatandthecity

[gadgetgirl71]

The Book of Koli Rampart Trilogy Book One by M R Carey

Wow I just loved this book. It’s just the type of book that I love to read, as it really got my imagination going. It’s fantasy, post apocalyptic and Sci fi all rolled in to one. I can’t wait for the rest of the trilogy to see what happens.

I have read that some people have struggled with some of the language used by the characters, for me it wasn’t a problem. The language that they sometimes speak is what I’d call English slang/local dialect, but please don’t let that put you off this book. If you don’t read this book I feel that you will be missing out on one of this years greatest books.

The world we live in today is not the world of the future.

Meet Koli he lives in a village called Mythen Rood, in the Calder Valley of West Yorkshire. Most of the big cities like London were bombed out during a war that happened hundreds of years ago. When man was starving and struggling to survive. The only things that are left over from this time are a few pieces of Tech that we take for granted now.

Outside the village walls it isn’t safe for people to wander as the plants prey on man. Due to man genetically changing plants, making them grow faster so they produced more crops in a shorter period of time. As there wasn’t enough food to feed everyone. What they did started a mutation that no one could have imagined. The plants and trees are man’s most lethal enemy along with genetically changed animals. Man is now the prey.

At Mythen Rood they have some very very old tech. Except that they don’t know how to make all of it work, but the few pieces that they do have is used to defend their village. From the mutated animals to the people they call “no names” these people are thieves, murders and people that have been cast out of their own villages due to wrong doings.

When any of the children of the village come of an age they are sent to stay in one of the houses in the village. Where they wait until they have their initiation tests to see if they can work the tech that protects the village. There is a big ceremony held where the whole of the village goes to watch. Each child that is due for initiation is asked which piece of tech they would like to try, as they only get one attempt to make it work.

All Koli wants is to become one of the elite, but non of the tech works for him. He’s jealous of his best friend because the tech he chose to try worked for him. So Koli hatches a plan to steal some of the old tech that doesn’t work and to see if he can get it to work. Out of the tech that he steals he does manage to get one piece to work and he plans to show the discovery to the whole village. Except things don’t turn out as he expected they take his name from him and they also make him leave the village.

This sets Koli on a huge adventure, where he finds out that the world outside is full of danger. He is captured and imprisoned and with the help of a friend they manage to escape. After their escape they plan to part ways, but Koli and his friends make a discovery which ends up putting them on a different course to what they were planning, which continues I guess in the next book.

This is a really great book and as I’ve already said I can’t wait to read the rest in this trilogy.

Pages: 416, Publication Date: 16 April 2020, My Rating: 5 Stars

#arc #bookblogger #bookreview #books #edelweiss #fantasy #goodreads #mrcarey #NetGalley #netgalleyUK #NGEW2020 #post apocalyptic #science fiction #scifi #the book of koli #trilogy

[gadgetgirl71]

Us Three by Ruth Jones

This is an uplifting, feel good and funny book with some sorrow that you definitely won’t want to put down. I haven’t read anything by Ruth Jones before so I didn’t know what to expect. I enjoyed this book so much, and I think any woman of a certain age will be able to identify with this book. When we all start to step into adulthood, feeling the we can conquer the world and that there are endless possibilities. As we get older though, our lives don’t always turn out as we expected them to when we were younger.

We follow the lives of Lana Lloyd, Judith Harris & Catrin Kelly, who met at primary school. Which is when they all pledged an oath over a Curly Wurly wrapper to be there for each other forever no matter what.

As the girls grow older and just as they are about to finish their A Levels. They all decide to go on a travelling holiday hopping from one Greek Island to another. They put a lot in to planning this holiday and as they are about to leave it looks like Judith wont be able to go. While Catrin and Lana are waiting in the airport lounge Judith turns up with Gareth Lana’s boyfriend. He saw Judith waiting at a bus stop and offered to take her to the airport. The girls were ecstatic as they were all together again.

While they are on holiday, Catrin falls in love and meets the man she’s going to marry Solomon Blythe. Judith finds out that her step father still has family in Cyprus. When the girls all go to the small village that he grew up in. They end up spending the rest of their time in Cyprus with her extended family. Until it’s time for them to go on to Athens. On their last night in Athens Lana sleeps with an Irish builder she met in a bar, who’s name she can’t remember. Which Catrin and Judith aren’t happy about because means they have to keep a big secret from Gareth.

When they get home from their holiday things don’t go well for Judith. On entering her bedroom she sees that her mother has packed all of he things, along with a note telling her to take her things and that she is no longer welcome there. So she ends staying with the Kelly family until she goes off to university. A few days after staying with the Kelly’s a letter comes through the post from her father telling her that he loves her, but he had to leave and that she needs to look after herself.

The girls just start to settle in to their new collages and university, when Judith has to go back home to look after her mother. Due to this Lana decides that Judith and Gareth should become flat mates. As Judith can’t live with her mother and Lana thinks Gareth could use the company with her being away. Neither of them are particularly happy about this, but they both agree to give it a go.

Lana ends up having a huge shock, when the guy she had one night with in Athens turns up. He has come over from Ireland to work on a big building project. Lana ends up having an affair with him and Gareth ends up finding out. He then finds comfort with Judith and they end up becoming a couple. As they both realise that they have been growing closer and closer together in the time they have been living together.

A little bit down the line Catrin and Solomon get married and Judith and Lana have a spectacular falling out in front of the guests. This falling out lasts for a couple of decades, which always leaves Catrin in the middle. As they both refuse to be in the same place at the same time.

Will Judith and Lana finally start to rebuild their friendship to help Catrin when her life is devastated with loss? Who knows?

Catrin Kelly, Judith Harris, Lana Lloyd! Fell into a muddy ditch and got annoyed, All their clothes they were a-smellin’ So they went back to Coed Celyn Catrin Kelly, Judith Harris, Lana Lloyd!

As I said before I’ve never read anything by Ruth Jones and I’m looking forward to seeing what she writes next.

Pages: 336, Publication Date: 4 May 2020, My Rating: 5 Stars

#ARC #bookblogger #bookclub #bookreview #contemporary #edelweiss #enjoyableread #heartbreak #heartwarming #NetGalley #netgalleyUK #NGEW2020 #womensfiction #womenslitrature #UsThree #RuthJones

[gadgetgirl71]

Book Review: Staunch by Eleanor Wood

I have to say that I really really enjoyed this book, I didn’t realise that this book was actually a memoir. The synopsis didn’t give you the impression that it was a memoir as it’s classed as Religion, Spirituality and Travel. I don’t really read many memoirs as some of them can be a bit hit and miss for me. This memoir however had me well and truly hooked before I finished the first chapter. The way in which Eleanor Wood has written her memoirs it’s more like an easy read story. There are lots of parts in the book that I think most women can relate to. Except the constant heavy drinking and drug taking, but maybe that just because I’m slightly older than Eleanor Wood.

The other thing I enjoyed was that she told us about how even though she is white British her family are actually white Indian (even though they are classed as British). As they were some of the last colonialists to leave India after the end of the second world war, when the British partitioned India in half to make two independent states. Indian and Pakistan. This partition caused all sorts of problems as people were having pack up their homes and make the long and also very dangerous journey from one side of the country to the other. People were being killed and murdered everywhere. It was also very dangerous for Eleanor’s family while they travelled through the country with being white as everyone blamed the British for such an up-evil.

To see my full review on this book click the LINK

#arc #bookblogger #book review #books #bookshelf #edelweiss #NGEW2020 #Religion #spirituality #staunch #eleanorwood #india #memoir #NetGalley #netgalleyUK #travel

[gadgetgirl71]

March Round Up

I hope you are all keeping well and safe, I know that I’ve been MIA a little bit this month but, I’ve not been to good. Here in the U.K. the pollen count has been very high, they say that it’s been the highest pollen count in 70 years. Which unfortunately has really affected my asthma and I’ve been on a high dose of steroids for over a month.

I guess that most of you are still on lock-down like myself. I don’t know about all of you, but at times I’m still finding it hard with the lock-down. Last week the girls had a girls night in, where we all got our favourite tipple and then we all used House Party to see and chat with each other. We all had a really good catch up, we were all talking together for four hours! Yes we women can talk and talk, but we all had a great time, and we will be doing it again soon. We were also laughing that when lock-down is over that we’ll carry on getting together this way instead of going out.

Anyway back to the books now. This April I managed to read 5 books and reviewed 4 books with 5 more reviews to write.  I still don’t seem to be catching up with my reviews as I hoped I would, never mind I will get there.

To see the rest of Aprils Round Up follow the LINK

#aprilroundup #arc #april2020 #bookblogger #bookbub #bookcovers #bookreview #bookreviews #books #covers #fiction #goodreads #Kindle #NetGalley #netgalleyUK #newbooksacquired #reading challenge

[gadgetgirl71]

Book Review: Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout

I haven’t read the first book Olive Kitteridge, from the synopsis it seemed as though it really didn’t matter as this book would also stand alone. The only problems for me was that I just couldn’t get in to this book at all. Even though the synopsis for this book really interested me, as a book I would enjoy to read. I really really struggles with it.

I only managed to get 11% of the way through this book. I even contacted another blogger that I follow as she also had this book from NetGalley. I read her review and asked her if the book got any better. For my fellow blogger she enjoyed the book, but she said that if I’d got that far and was struggling with it that I would struggle all the way though. As the story carries on virtually the same all the way through. So for me I’m sorry to say that I didn’t finish the book and I can only give it 1 Star.

I have included the synopsis below, so you can make up your own mind and to see if it’s the type of book you’ll enjoy to read.

Synopsis:

The iconic Olive struggles to understand not only herself and her own life but also the lives of those around her in the town of Crosby, Maine. Whether with a teenager coming to terms with the loss of her father, a young woman about to give birth during a hilariously inopportune moment, a nurse who confesses a secret high school crush, or a lawyer who struggles with an inheritance she does not want to accept, the unforgettable Olive will continue to startle us, to move us, and to inspire moments of transcendent grace.

This synopsis really did make this book sound as though it was right down my street, unfortunately it wasn’t, as I really, really do not like to no finish a book.

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[gadgetgirl71]

Book Review: The Summer Fields by L P Fergusson

Another great book by L P Fergusson. I couldn’t put it down, I ended up reading late in to the night on a couple of occasions, until I finished the book. This book was like reading a classic such as Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. Except that you didn’t have to try and understand the old spoken English. Which can sometimes detract from you wanting to read the classics. So if you like the classics and you don’t want to struggle with the old language then you’ll just love this book. I’m looking forward to seeing what L P Fergusson’s next book is.

In February 1704, Elen Griffiths is a young woman who lives with her father and sibling as tenant farmers. Since her mothers passing she had taken on the household duties as well as being a dairy maid.

Late one evening when the farm was almost asleep Elen and her father hear a horse and carriage coming into their yard. Elen is told to go up to bed and not come down until her father tells her to. As someone turning up at this late hour never means anything good.

It turns out that its the local Doctor, he requires Elen to go with him to Duntisbourne Hall and nurse Viscount Mordiford. As he has contracted small pox, it turns out that with Elen being a dairy maid she will not contract small pox.

So Elen is rushed away from her family during the night, without being able to say goodbye to her siblings. She didn’t even get a chance to pack any clothes as the Doctor dare not leave the Viscount any longer than he has too. The doctor says that one of her siblings will have to bring over anything that she may need at a later date.

Once they reach Duntisbourne Hall Elen is whisked away up to one of the halls towers which is far enough away from the rest of the household so no one else has the chance of catching small pox. One of the servants a Ned Harley has volunteered to take food, wood or anything else Elen or the Viscount may need while she nurses him back to health.

Elen soon ends up fitting in and gets in to a routine of caring for her charge. Every morning after breakfast she goes for a walk about the estate with Ned Harley. Then she goes back to her duty of care and during some quiet times she sits quietly and reads. It turns out that Elen is quite an educated woman, even though she is a dairy maid. Her mother was a governess but fell in love with Elen’s father, someone far below her mothers standing. She made sure that Elen could read and write. Due to this she is given the opportunity to go and borrow any book she takes a fancy to reading from the Halls grand library.

This is when Elen becomes a person of interest to the Viscounts father. Mordiford has tried to dismiss Elen ever since she turned up, as he knew once his father met her she would end up in danger. His father and his friends were in to some strange rituals and most of them had been disgraced from society at one point or the other.

Ned Harley is also involved with what Mordiford’s father and friends get up to, every time they have a gathering at the hall. He isn’t the charming and caring person that he pretends to be to Elen. One evening Ned organises to meet Elen in a remote summerhouse on the estate, but he has lured her there not for himself but for his master and his friends.

Mordiford finds out what is going to happen and drags himself out of his sick bed to rescure Elen. He takes on his father and his friends and whisks Elen away from the estate to safety. But Elen won’t be totally safe until she is out of the country, as his fathers reach is far and wide. So he takes her to the local Doctor’s house and asks him to shelter Elen. The Doctor isn’t to happy about this as he is due to leave the country and become the Doctor to the Duke of Marlborough during the Battle of Blenheim in Bavaria. Mordiford insists that he take Elen with him and say that she is to be his nursing assistant as she is more than capable. He says that he will send for Elen once it is safe for her to return.

The journey to the battle field is long and arduous, as well as dirty. Once they arrive on the continent they are put up in a small establishment with others that are to join the campaign. This is where Elen meets Mrs Sarah Barker and her husband the field surgeon. Sarah takes Elen under her wing and makes sure that she is safe when the Doctor isn’t around, she also teaches Elen how to nurse the wounded soldiers.

Elen keeps hoping that she will hear from Mordiford telling her that it is safe for her to return home, but the months go by with no word. Until one day a battalion of soldiers are making their way to the front and she spots Mordiford as he spots her. He is so glad to see her, and it’s noticable to all that he has a liking towards Elen.

They keep on bumping in to each other during the battle, and there is an attraction between them, but Sarah keeps telling her to be careful as she doesn’t want her to be used and thrown away once the war is over.

Will Elen ever be able to go back home. If she can go back home what will she do, does Mordiford really have feelings and affection for Elen or has he just been leading her up the garden path. Will there be a happy ever after?

Such another great read from L P Fergusson, she has a way of writing that is so vivid you are actually transported back in time. Yet again I can’t wait for her next book.

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[gadgetgirl71]

Aria’s Travelling Book Shop by Rebecca Raisin

I quite enjoyed this book, but I don’t think I’d read anymore in this series. As the book wasn’t quite my type of read. I felt as though the story was quite predictable, and like many other romance books out there. The only difference is that the characters were nomads travelling though England and France.

This book has some sorrow and laugh out loud moments with lots of possibilities along the way with the beauty of France as it’s backdrop, but sadly I found it lacking. However I’m sure there are many others out there that absolutely loved this book, but sadly it’s just not my style of book.

Aria is a grieving widow who has left her normal life behind to become a nomad. Where she’s met up with other like minded people, who also travel the country and go to various types of festivals to sell their wears.

All of the nomads have some type of trade or fare that they can sell at the venues they go to. This is basically how they all fund their life style. Aria’s best friend Rosie used to be a Michelin Star Chef and now she makes comfort food that has people queuing up just to get a taste of it, at every venue they go to.

This year they have decided to travel through France and participate in their festivals for a change. As they hope to combine the festivals and some sight seeing in one big summer adventure.

Before Aria and her friends left London to travel to Calais. The nomads got together and had a big farewell party as only a few of them were going to France as the rest would do the English festival circuit as usual. As the evening was coming to an end for Aria, in her wine addled brain she thinks she sees Jonathan in the crowed. He’s a man she met the summer before at a big music festival. Before she knows it she’s in Jonathan’s arms and they have just had the most passionate kiss she ever though possible. She starts to feel very guilty about this and yet again she runs off back to the safety of her van.

Once they hit France they all quickly settle in to a new routine, of sight seeing and trying all the culinary delights of the area. Aria goes off exploring as many odd little French book shops that she can find, hunting out any English books she can add to her own inventory.

In one particular book shop Aria just stops dead and Rosie becomes concerned about her, until she realises she’s looking at a poster with Jonathan’s face on it. Advertising an intimate book reading with the author, which was held a few days before.

Rosie didn’t realise Aria didn’t know he was a famous author, as she had known all along. This made Aria cringe as she replayed their previous conversations, where they talked all about books and how they should be written.

Over the course of the next few weeks Jonathan keeps turning up, and hanging around with them any chance he gets. He also keeps bumping into Aria in the most unusual places and quite by accident. It’s as though the powers that be are trying to tell Aria something, but to even think about him and the connection they have she feels deep deep guilt.

Will Aria let go of her guilt and see what she can build with Jonathan. Is Jonathan willing to to wait for Aria to come around to what he knows they can have?

Pages: 384, Publication Date: 8 April 2020, My Rating: 3 Stars

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